


A Conversation With Sten

by dinosaurdragon



Series: Missing Moments from TWotS [2]
Category: Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Cross-Cultural Discussions, Drabble, Gen, Gender explanation, POV First Person, Trans Character, sort of ish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-18
Updated: 2015-11-18
Packaged: 2018-05-02 05:25:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5235896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dinosaurdragon/pseuds/dinosaurdragon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Vir'era and Sten bond over being foreigners in Ferelden.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Conversation With Sten

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place at camp, early on during the course of the Blight. Probably soon post-Lothering. tbh i'm not keeping close track, but it's somewhere in there.

“Tell me, Warden. I have heard that your people speak their own language, but many words are lost. Is this true?” I looked up at Sten, surprised to find him addressing me. We did not speak much—Sten did not speak much beyond instructing Darrien with his greatsword.

“Yes,” I answered. “Tevinter destroyed much of our history and writings before enslaving us. We lost much, including most of our language.”

He nodded slowly, obviously taking my words very seriously. “You have knowledge of the Qunari. I would like to know of your people. Your Keepers, they are like the Tamassrans?”

I considered the thought. “That is the best equivalent, yes. But all Keepers have magic, too.”

“Like Magisters.”

“No… maybe? Keepers must look out for the clan. It is… not quite the same.” It was good he did not suggest to Theron that Keepers were akin to Magisters. That would not have gone well.

Sten was silent a long moment. “I see.” His expression seemed thoughtful to me. “Like humans, your people allow women to fight.”

I nodded. “Yes. We do also have people who are aqun-athlok, but not because of their job.” That was familiar territory. I knew this much. “I am aqun-athlok.” It was easy to say to him. He knew what it meant. It would not change his mind.

“I see,” he said again. “Do your people have a word for that?”

I almost said ‘transgender,’ completely by instinct, but stopped myself in time. “No,” I answered. “Or, not anymore. If we did once, then the Tevinters stole it from us as well.”

“Then how do you know how to refer to someone?” he asked, and I reminded myself that things were different here; he could not know how this question sounded to me.

‘’If they call themselves a boy, we call them a boy, in all matters. The same if they call themselves a girl.” I did not know how or if other genders were understood here.

He nodded. “A simple approach.” He paused, but I go the feeling he had more to say. “Ferelden seems strange to you.”

A statement, but the truth. I laughed even as I nodded. “Very strange sometimes. It’s the same for you, isn’t it?”

“Yes. It makes little sense.” He huffed. “But I do like the cookies.”

“Yes. Cookies are good.”

**Author's Note:**

> so i'm still working on the warden-commander, but sometimes at school i get the need to write. therefore i've created this little series, which i'll refer to as 'missing moments.' hope you enjoy!


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